


Little Lies

by MissCrazyWriter321



Category: Victorious (TV)
Genre: Episode Tag: Tori Tortures Teacher, Friendship, Gen, Sikowitz is a good teacher
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:00:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26427517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissCrazyWriter321/pseuds/MissCrazyWriter321
Summary: “There wasn’t a cat named Bunny, was there?” She asks quietly, and acting might be his passion, but even he knows when to let the curtain drop.“No, there wasn’t.”
Relationships: Erwin Sikowitz & Tori Vega
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	Little Lies

**Author's Note:**

> Awhile back, I nostalgia-binged most of Victorious, and this particular episode struck me with a bit of inspiration: what if it really was the play that upset Sikowitz, but he wanted to protect his students' feelings?

The play hurts. 

There's no denying that, not to himself. To sit in that rough, uncomfortable seat, and listen to actors who can't possibly have their degrees rambling about what a horrible life being a teacher is? It twists him up inside, bringing back long-buried memories of mocking friends and judgmental parents. 

He would almost feel hurt, but Tori sits next to him, hunched in on herself, guilt scrawled across her face. Clearly, she had no idea what to expect from this play, and now she's completely caught off-guard. 

It isn't her fault. Isn't the kids' fault. 

So he leaves. 

-

Tori tries. 

It's awkward and jumbling, and she ends up insulting him before the conversation is over, but she  _ tries.  _ All of his students do, and it warms his heart, creeping past the battered cracks.  _ This  _ is why he teaches, why he chose life in a school over life on the stage. 

The guilt coming off of all of them is unbearable, Tori's most of all, so he resolves to pull himself together again. He spins a story about a woman leaving him, hides a smile at her jubilant response, and thinks that will be the end of it. 

Ridiculous of him, really. 

-

They try to get him a date. 

It isn't the first time one of his students has pulled some sort of matchmaking nonsense, but this one is surprisingly elaborate. It takes him a few times to catch on, to piece together the hidden motives behind Tori's cheerful request: "Hey, I'm shooting this video for a class, and I was wondering if you'd like to star in it?" 

But his lips are already getting tired, and he will not take up these women's time on a false hope, either of a movie or a date. Maybe one day he will meet the future Mrs. Sikowitz, but he isn't actively looking. 

So he brushes it off. "I miss her pet bunny." 

Now she'll let it go, right? 

-

She gets him a bunny. 

It’s a tiny little thing, and he doesn’t altogether know where she got it, but it gets loose in the school and he doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She’s determined, at the very least. He has to give her that. 

He nearly keeps it, but a part of him is just too curious: How far will she let this play out? (Besides, rabbits are a pain to clean up after, and Tori already seems a little too attached in any case.) So he claims that Bunny was a cat, and only feels the slightest bit of guilt at Tori’s dismay. 

As he walks away, he can hear the others talking loudly, firmly shutting Tori down. This is, he supposes, the end of the game. Pity; it was actually quite fun. 

(A cat named Bunny. He does marvel at his own mind, sometimes.) 

-

It takes her two weeks to piece it together, or at least to work up the courage to talk to him about it. She lingers after class, straightening her desk, brushing non-existent lint off her backpack. Twice she starts for the door, then catches herself, shaking her head. 

Finally, she approaches him. “There wasn’t a cat named Bunny, was there?” She asks quietly, and acting might be his passion, but even he knows when to let the curtain drop. 

“No, there wasn’t.”

“So, that play-that  _ I  _ wanted to take you to-” She looks positively devastated, shoulders sagging. “That’s what upset you so much?” 

He sighs. “Okay, I admit, the play wasn’t exactly… Comfortable.” Tears well up in her eyes, and he hurries to add, “But you know something? Neither is this shirt.”  _ Mission accomplished,  _ he thinks when she falters, brows furrowing, guilt giving way to utter bafflement. “But I love this shirt, because it’s stylish. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” 

“It’s… A nice shirt,” she says slowly, and for such a good actress, she’s a terrible liar. “But I don’t-”

“My point is, some things in life are worth it. And if you kids are willing to go that far to make me happy? Trust me, it’s worth a bad play every now and then.” 

Thankfully, it works; a bright smile spreads across her face, and she gives him a quick hug, before straightening. “You know something, Sikowitz? I’m really glad you’re my teacher.” 

With that, she grabs her things and walks away, and he shakes his head and smiles. “Me, too, Tori,” he tells the empty room. “Me too.” Then, as long as he’s talking to air, he adds, “Now, where did I leave my coconut?” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
